Most Common Workplace Injuries

Most Common Workplace Injuries

Dedicated Richmond Workers’ Comp Attorneys – (804) 888-8000

Workplaces should be free of accidents and opportunities for injury, but it is possible for workers to become injured while working. There are plenty of ways workers can be injured, and workers who sustain injuries while on the job should receive compensation for their injuries. A workers’ compensation claim may provide the necessary relief and help cover medical expenses to aid your recovery.

Our Richmond worker’s comp lawyers can help you navigate the claims process and help you demonstrate your need for compensation. Don’t hesitate to contact our team, and find the experienced, proven legal representation Harbison & Kavanagh can offer you. We are ready to help you fight for your rights and recover the damages you deserve.

Common Workplace Injuries

There are hundreds of injuries that may occur, but there are several that are the most common for many workers, in many industries. Regardless of your field of employment, these injuries can affect nearly any worker. Learn more about these injuries, and how they can be prevented.

1. Overexertion Injuries

These injuries include strain due to repeated pulling, pushing, lifting, holding, carrying, and throwing activities. Overexertion injuries are the most common workplace injuries and are also one of the most expensive injuries for workers’ compensation insurance. Protect yourself by taking regular breaks, reducing the repetitions of a movement, and wearing braces.

2. Slipping or Tripping

Hazardous surfaces can cause workers to slip or trip, and may lead to falls. Wet or slippery floors or obstacles can cause employees to lose their footing. Prevent falls by promptly cleaning spills, placing warning signs when the floor is wet, and enforcing safety guidelines to ensure that debris, tools, materials, or other tripping hazards are picked up and kept away from walkways.

3. Falls from Heights

Falls from roofs, ladders, and stairways can cause serious injury. These accidents can be due to a slip or may be caused by faulty equipment. Proper use of personal protection gear, training, and employee diligence are powerful tools to reduce the chances of these accidents.

4. Reaction Injuries

These injuries are sustained while trying to prevent another injury. Slipping without falling is one way to sustain these injuries, which include muscle injuries, body trauma, strains, sprains, and bruising. These injuries occur when an employee attempts to prevent themselves from becoming hurt in another fashion. These injuries can be difficult to prevent, but keeping your workplace clean and free of hazards can help prevent the accident that causes the reactive injury.

5. Falling Object Injuries

Objects may fall from shelves, scaffolds, or ladders, or may be dropped by another person. Head injuries and brain injuries are a result of these types of accidents. Employer and employee diligence can prevent these injuries. Employers can develop training and guidelines for safe practices. Personal protection gear, such as a hard hat, can also help prevent injuries.

6. Walking-Into Injuries

These injuries are often the result of distraction, but they still can be painful. Often, injuries like these are sustained by walking into windows, doors, corners, or furniture. Often, these accidents result in head, knee, foot, leg, and neck injuries are common. Preventing injuries for these accidents can be a challenge, but employers can enforce safety guidelines that encourage safe, clean workplaces, as well as mindful, attentive employees.

7. Vehicle Accidents

For workers who drive in the course of their work, vehicle accidents can be a serious threat. Auto accidents can cause severe injury, or even be fatal. Employers should have employees complete safe driving courses and introduce safe driving policies to reduce accidents.

8. Machine Entanglement

These injuries frequently occur in factory settings or other workplaces where heavy machinery is operated. They can occur in nearly any office setting, however, as long as machinery of some sort is in use. Frequently, these injuries occur when clothing, hair, fingers, laces, or other garments or body parts become caught in a machine. Protective equipment, easy-to-reach emergency stops, and attentive operation can keep employees safe.

9. Repetitive Motion Injuries

This type of injury is hard to detect, but can cause great harm over the long run. Repetitive motions such as typing and computer use can place a strain on muscles, tendons, and nerves, and can cause pain, vision problems, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Training, proper ergonomic equipment can reduce the impact of these motions.

10. Workplace Violence

Unfortunately, differences can cause arguments, which may lead to workplace violence. When disagreements become physical altercations, employees can be injured. Customers and coworkers may cause injuries to workers. Workplace violence prevention training and employee diligence can help report suspicious activity and prevent violence.

Experienced Richmond Worker’s Compensation Lawyers - (804) 823-2050

If you’ve been injured while working, you deserve compensation for your injuries. Get help with your workers’ compensation claim from our knowledgeable workers’ comp attorneys. Our team at Harbison & Kavanagh has the experience and proven record of success to tackle your case. We will help you with every aspect of the claims process, from beginning to end. Our attorneys believe in compassionate, personalized legal service to meet your needs. We are available to help.

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Our Richmond workers’ compensation lawyers have handled thousands of cases on behalf of injured and disabled workers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. There is very little we have not seen in terms of medical conditions in the context of a disability claim. Our depth of knowledge of the law has been honed through extensive appeal experience at the Federal Court level.

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